The Week Two slate kicked off with the first of two elimination games. Captain Pynn’s ‘Rolling Gladstones’ finally found a full bench at the end of the attendance woe rainbow…but they also found The Herrmannator lurking, poised to propel Orange onward after an embarrassing 5-0 loss to Purple. Eric Herrmann found the net twice before most fans had found their seats, weaving, wowing, and wreaking wrister havoc on Grey’s defense to make it 2-0 less than two minutes in. Grey would find their form, and Kevin Wilkinson found an answer less than a minute later to cut the lead in half. It was Wilkinson again early in the second to bring things level, and Grey really held the better part of the play from there out. The end of regulation came with the score still knotted at twos, but with Grey having outshot Orange by a 31-14 margin. The only shots that count are the ones that go in, though, and Dorothy Kline’s innocent-looking blue line fling found a will and a way to bound in past Chris Tran (12/15) to seal the OT deal for Orange, 3-2. Nick Meglich was otherworldly in a fill-in role for Cory Brin, stopping 30/32 to frustrate, and ultimately finish Grey. The loss lands Grey on the scrap heap with Cream, Blue, and Brown, while Orange live on to face the only other ‘under seed’ remaining, White, this Sunday. Orange tied White 4-4 in Week Four, but it’s worth noting the Josh ‘The Wirtinator’ Wirt was not suited for White in that showdown.
If you were hoping for a Week Two playoff parity party, I sure hope you caught the first game of the evening. The rest…not remotely close. Captain Joe Malki’s Green continued their playoff push by pushing over (then pummeling) White with shocking ease. Chis Malki, Jet Javelet, Chris Malki, Jet Javelet, Jet Javelet, Chris Malki, Chris Malki…two players, seven goals, and a touchdown lead with more than six minutes to play. White could not even muster a token positive from the match, with Nick Meglich giving Josh Wirt nothing to shoot at on a penalty shot in the third. Meglich would earn the shutout on 10/10, while Don Tran (23/30) absorbed the loss, and the brunt of Green’s barrage in the 7-0 slaughter. Chris Malki would finish with 4 and 2, Javelet with 3 and 1 and a loose tooth (after taking a ball to the mouth with six seconds remaining). It’s full steam ahead for Green, as they prepare for the big battle of the bands with Purple. White have a lot of wound licking to do, but they are still alive, and will look to bounce back against a high-powered, but hit-or-miss Orange.
A scoreless first period was as good as it would get for Pink, who left their big guns (twin scoring leaders, Carl Vankoughnett and Jim LaGrossa) in their other pants. This is not a recommended practice when facing any team, let alone playoffs phavorites, Purple. Justin Stege finally broke the seal late in the second, and Captain Zach Salt tacked on the game-winner less than a minute later. Salt would go on to drop a hat trick in the third, Cory Samuels would get in on the goal scoring and goal assisting act, and Stege would pick up two helpers of his own to turn a slow and steady slide to victory into an absolute boat race. Greg Mallinger became the lone scorer for Pink in garbage time, spoiling Alex Theis’ shutout bid (13/14). It was a rare result indeed for Sean Kelly, who was solid, but ultimately peppered and Salted to death (29/35). The 6-1 romp has Captain Salt and ‘Purple Reign’ moving on to face their rivals, Green, with a spot in the Final on the line. A win, and they’re in. A loss…could mean a Salt v Salt Loser’s Bracket showdown…we’re all winners, in that case. Pink will look to make that matchup a ‘what if’, as they turn to face Red and ‘the other Salt’ this Sunday. For Pink’s sake, here’s hoping they bring those big guns…
While not quite the blowout beheld in the previous two matchups, Red’s 4-2 win over Black ‘felt’ pretty convincing. Jon Salt got Red on the board very early (9:15), and had the three seed up 2-0 minutes later (7:19). Andy Strathman responded for Black late in the first, but it was Kim Hernandez with the game-winner, and Salt to complete his hat trick in the second. Strathman cut the lead back to two with his second of the game early in the third, but Andrew Lockard (23/25) stood tall the rest of the way to preserve the 4-2 win, and send Black to their two-and-done playoff exit. Wayne Wong (16/20) put forth a valiant effort in his first season in nets, posting a 4-4-1 regular season record, but alas, his fate, and the fate of ‘Black Slappath’ was signed and sealed with a Salty kiss. Captain Vacchio’s team join Grey, Cream, Blue, and Brown on the playoff sidelines, while Red look to rev up their revenge tour this Sunday versus Pink.